A 21-Minute Journey of Self-Discovery with Michael
Skye Michael is the founder of the Vision Force Academy,
where young and old alike develop their natural talents as
visionaries, leaders and creators.
Here's How This Works:
There are 7 challenges or "waves"
below. In order to really come face to face
with your destiny, you must 1) read every word as if your life
is at stake (it is!), 2) take each of the short Self-Tests, and 3) be
brutally honest with yourself.
If you do this,
I promise you, you fill face your destiny and see
your greatness like never before.
*Also, watch for an opportunity to claim a $2,500
scholarship to the Vision Force Academy.
Visionary
and thinker, Henry David Thoreau, observed, "the
masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation."
Quiet
desperation.... Why?
Could
it be because deep inside we KNOW that we are capable of
being so much more than we are?
Please
hear me out.
Allow
me to speak now in defense of your life and your freedom.
You
have worked hard all your life. Very hard.
You've
been responsible, you've played their game. You've found some
success. You've had some good times. But something's
missing.
Are
you deeply happy?
Are
you deeply satisfied?
Maybe
you should have trusted your heart and followed your passion?
Maybe you should have traveled when you had the chance? Maybe you shouldn't have gotten married when you did? Maybe
you should have done a lot of things differently... Maybe, maybe,
maybe...
- It is NOT too late.
You
sense that.
You
sense that, and you want to make a change. You want to do
something of your own, something that makes a difference.
Something that makes you come alive! You want to...
But
you don't feel ready. You're not sure. You lack that
driving purpose, that deep sense of knowing...
- there's only one thing missing.
And
your freedom is just a breath away.
The
time has come...
"It's
Time to Unleash Your Natural Greatness..."
Remember
the last scene of the movie, Braveheart?
Freedom
fighter, William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) is being
publicly tortured and is about to die.
All
he had wanted was freedom for himself and his
countrymen. He had fought so hard for so long, and now
this? To die in shame? How
could it end this way?
Was it all for
nothing?
It's
not over yet... He can put an end to the torture. All he needs to
do is... betray his vision of freedom.
He
opens his eyes one last time, and has something to say... He
gulps his last breath of air, and with a heart wrenching cry
that echoes through the kingdom, all you hear is...
"FREEEEEEEDOM!"
What
does his have to do with you?
Everything. Or nothing--you decide.
Your freedom is one breath away.
I am
talking about real freedom--inner freedom.
All
you need is a vision worth living for... worth dying
for! And then you'll be free--truly free.
It all
starts right here, right now. Are you ready?
Ride the first
wave.
First
Wave: VISION. Allow
yourself to be swept away by vision more and more--your
own vision.
As
you'll see later, most people really have no clue about
vision. Dreams? Goals? Plans?
Visualizations? None of this is vision. (And I'm
not talking about anything religious or mystical either).
As a human
being, you naturally have access to the kind of vision that
will sweep you off your feet... when you see it. Listen
closely...
William
Wallace saw how he could be the one to free his
people.
What
he saw is called vision.
His
vision calls to him so deeply that he is willing to follow
it to the ends of the earth.
Gone
now is his suffering, his doubt and indecision.
Fear
no longer has power over him.
Once
he sees his vision he is free, he is certain, he is alive!
He
is willing to face anything--even death--to make his
vision a reality.
This
is what it means to be a visionary-- to see a vision that
calls you into heroic action, and to simply allow it to
sweep you away.
"Believe
it or not , you
are a visionary by nature."
"What
if you awoke to this kind of vision every day?
What if you could see and feel your destiny,
and it carried you? Yes, what if you were a visionary?"
Second
Wave: More and more, you see how you are a
visionary.
Gandhi?
Gates? America's founding fathers? They have nothing
on you.
They
are human just like you. You possess the same
visionary talents and tendencies that they do. Flow
with this idea for a while...
Take
this quick visionary test (check all the boxes that
apply)...
VISIONARY
TEST: Are
You A Visionary?
As a child did you
come up with your own ideas for things you'd like to
do or games you'd like to play?
As a child and
teenager did you often resent being told what to do?
Did your parents
ever resort to punishments or rewards to get you to
follow and obey?
Do you ever feel a
sense of self-betrayal when you compromise your
values, or give in to others?
Do you ever feel
regret when you don't pursue your passion, or follow
your heart?
Does it bother you
when you notice that all your efforts and successes
have not brought you deep and lasting fulfillment?
If
you answered yes to any of the above questions, you are a
visionary by nature. All human beings are
visionaries by nature.
Keep
flowing with me here...
"So,
Who Stole Your Vision?"
No one
really "stole" your vision, but...
You
have been trained not to be a visionary.
Did you get
that ? You have been trained not to be a visionary!
Sure
your parents and teachers wanted to help you become
responsible and successful, but the problem is... they
trained you to follow their vision or someone else's-- instead
of your own.Put an end
to that now.
Each of Us
Is A Visionary
"The problems
we have now in communities and societies are going to be
resolved only when we are brought together by a common sense
that each of us is a visionary.
"Each of us must
come to the realization that we can function and live at the
level of vision rather than following some great leader's vision.
"Instead of looking for a great leader, we are in an era where
each of us needs to find the great leader in ourselves."
- Werner Erhard
[emphasis added]
Third
Wave: More and more, you
see how you've been conditioned to NOT follow your
own vision.
Check
and see for yourself by taking this test (Check all that
apply.)...
CONDITIONING
TEST: How
Have You Been Trained to NOT Follow Your Own Vision?
Did any of your
parents or teachers seem to think that in order to
be "successful," you must learn to
"play by the rules" and "not make
waves?"
Did you see a lot
of adults giving up their own dreams in order to
"be responsible?"
Were you ever
pressured to fulfill your parents' dreams, rather
than your own?
Did your parents
often act as if obedience (following them) was more
important than integrity (following your own
vision)?
Did your parents,
teachers or other authorities often punish you or
make you feel guilty when you didn't follow their
vision and their rules?
Were you ever
taught that there are people who know better than
you what you should do with your life?
Did you ever get
the impression that it is wrong to think first of
your own dreams, values and desires? Did
you learn not to be "selfish?"
That
kind of training kills your power to follow your heart, be
true to yourself and fulfill your destiny! It kills
your vision!
Is it any
wonder that we often lack deep satisfaction and a deep sense
of purpose? We
live
every day in a world that trains us to follow.
Parents,
teachers, bosses, politicians, advertisers, etc.--everyone
wants you to follow them.
You're
rewarded when you obey and follow, and punished when you
"break the rules" and follow your own path.
We
punish the visionaries, and reward those who obey.
That's
the world we live in... but it's not the future! Imagine a
world of visionaries! This is our future. And
you can make it yours right now.
"The
Losers And Failures of Today Are Tomorrow's
Visionaries?"
Bill
Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell dropped out of school and
stayed true to their vision. And they've changed the
world.
As
kids do you think they sat obediently in their seats,
listening patiently to the teacher's every word? No,
they were probably more interested in their own dreams,
their own thoughts. In today's world, they probably
would have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and given drugs to make
them more docile and obedient!
Imagine, these 3
visionaries made to feel "wrong" and inferior for being
visionaries! Where would we be? Think of the computer
screen you are looking at right now... I might not be able to reach
you with this message, were it not for these 3 visionaries!
Think about
this for a moment...
Could
We Be Doping Tomorrow's Visionaries?
Maybe
the visionary who would have created peace in the Middle
East or ended hunger is on Ritalin right now... and will
never find her vision!
Guess
what? The lively, creative, excited kids aren't the only ones we dope.
What
do we do with the kids aren't happy with life now that
they've been trained to follow and obey someone else's
vision? We diagnose them as "depressed," and
then we give
them drugs too. Do they need drugs, or vision?
Come
on, are we visionaries or cattle? If you're not a bit
fired up right now , you should be. Listen,
As
a visionary, isn't it natural to be
wrapped up in your own dreams and vision?
As
a visionary, isn't it natural to rebel
when being trained to follow?
As
a visionary, isn't it natural to be
depressed after being trained not to follow your
own vision?
As
a visionary, isn't it natural to suffer
when you know you're betraying your vision?
There would be
no "quiet desperation," if you were not a visionary.
You only suffer, because you know you are capable of so much
more. You've simply been trained not to honor your vision.
That
kind of training is not worthy of you. For you are a
visionary.
Am
I reaching you? What are you feeling? You should be feeling
something right now . This
is your life that's at stake. Your life as a
visionary! This is your freedom, your power, your deep inner
peach and fulfillment we're talking about.
Hear
visionary author, Ayn Rand...
"Do
not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark....
Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely
frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been
able to reach. Check your road and the nature of
your battle. The world you desired can be won.
It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours."-Ayn
Rand
Fourth
Wave: More and more, you
CLAIM your right to live and even to die by your own vision.
Let's
face it. You live in a world that does not yet honor every
person as a visionary.
You
live in a world where you are "supposed to" follow other
people's visions. You live in a world that does not
acknowledge your right to live life on your own terms as a
visionary. So you must claim it!
Read
this...
"Being
A Visionary Is Your Birthright!"
Think
of a wild stallion, a majestic lion, a magnificent
eagle. These great animals are born with certain
powers that give them their "greatness."
Now
think about human beings. Our claim to greatness is
vision. Vision gives us confidence, power and
purpose. Vision gives us the power to venture into the
unknown, to blaze new trails, to create what never existed
before.
A
man or woman without vision is like a great stallion without
its legs, a lion without its roar, an eagle without its
wings.
Take
away any animal's natural power to guide and protect itself. Take away
its senses of sight, hearing
and smell and what happens?
It becomes afraid, reactive, hesitant.
It no longer has its natural power to guide itself, and it
will start
seeking comfort and safety. The once great animal will
die a little more
each day.
Now
teach the animal that it is wrong to be strong, to be great, to
act in accordance with its nature. Punish the
stallion for running free, the lion for roaring and the
eagle for flying.
The
once great animal is not just fearful, violent and
reactive... now it also is ashamed of its power, ashamed of
its natural greatness.
What
would it be like to be such an animal? Would your life
become one of... quiet desperation?
What
gives human beings our natural greatness is
Vision.
Take
vision away from a person, and even teach him that it is
wrong to follow his or her vision. And what
happens?
Some
of us become fearful, self-doubting and timid. Others
become depressed. Many of us seek to escape with
addictions. Others resort to anger, hatred,
violence. Some become irrationally selfish, doing
things that hurt themselves and those they love. Still
others of us just never come to experience the deep inner
peace and satisfaction they deserve.
But
this is NOT "human nature."
No,
life
is NOT about suffering. At least it doesn't have
to be.
It's
time to step into your full power and glory. It is
time to claim your destiny as a visionary. You were
meant to be great!
Don't
Worry , You Can Come Back and Read the Rest of This Later... Click
Here Now!
"Face Your
Call To Greatness!"
Listen, there
is one thing I will guarantee you. You are human. And as a human, the
more you turn away from your greatness, the more you will suffer.
It might be
subtle. It might be "deep beneath the surface." But hide
from your greatness, and you suffer, guaranteed. It will eat at you
until the day you die.
Fifth
Wave: More and more, you
find yourself facing your call to greatness...
"First,
Dump The Talent Myth!"
Listen
closely. Some people might tell you that greatness has
something to do with how successful, how talented or how
smart you are.
Maybe
you've been searching for your unique gift or talent?
Maybe you've even accepted that you're not that great?
Maybe you're "not as talented as you used to
be." Maybe you're too young, too old, too...
something.
Maybe
you're still searching for the "perfect time" or
"perfect opportunity?"
That's
ALL B.S.! Those paths all lead to suffering, because
deep inside you know you are hiding from your natural
greatness... hiding from the challenges life has given you.
True
greatness is internal.
Only you
can know if you are facing your biggest fears and
challenges, and being true to your vision.
Your
greatest natural ability is your gift for vision. It's
time to develop that talent! Then everything
else just falls into place.
Are You Hearing Your Call To
Greatness?
In moments of choice, something
within calls to you. Something urges you to stand up and honor
yourself. But...
If you're not feeling deeply moved and
inspired right now to live by your own vision, consider this...
You've been trained to be responsible,
obedient, honest, caring, loving and respectful... to who? To others.
As if what they think, what they want is more important than what you
think and want.
Consider that.
Of course you want to make this world a
better place and make a difference in people's lives. But that's why you
want to have the power, the confidence, the vision to make change happen!
It all starts with you.
What could possibly be more important
than facing your call to greatness?
It's time to become the visionary you were
meant to be. It's time to be true to yourself and your vision at a whole
new level.
Let's say you have a new idea, a new dream,
a new direction you want to go in. Maybe you even feel deeply called to
fulfill that dream.
What stops you? What slows you down?
Consider that we're too busy looking to see
what others might think of us. Before we do something bold, new or
different, we imagine what others will think.
And when you look outward to others, you
can't hear your call to greatness! Sure,
we like to think that we don't care what others' think about us, but that's a
lie.
Be very, very honest here, even if
it hurts your pride... In what ways do you look and listen for approval,
acceptance, respect, appreciation, from others. (Check all that apply)
Who's
Voice Do You Listen To? Who's Vision Do You
Follow?
Are you
in a relationship or a job that you are not happy
with? (What might people say or think if you
left and walked a new path?)
Are there people
you've not been honest with? (What might they
think or say if you were honest?)
Are there
people you've hidden your dreams from? (What
might they say or think if you shared?)
When
talking to certain people, do you hold back your
excitement about your projects and dreams?
(What might they think if you fully expressed your
excitement them?)
Are there people
you are "not yourself" with? (What
might they think if they really knew you?)
Do you
have a talent or passion that you have hidden from
the world, or kept mostly private? (What might
people think if they say you express this?
What might people think if you failed?)
Do you
ever choose not to speak up when you think you
should? (What might people think if you did?)
Try To Be Good, And You'll
Never Be Great...
You'll Never Fulfill Your Destiny!
Your parents? Your friends? Your
partner or spouse, your boss, your co-workers--EVERYONE has an opinion about
what you should do with your life.
A good husband/wife should
________________.
A good child should ________________.
A good citizen should _________________.
A good Christian should
_________________.
A good American should
_________________.
etc., etc., etc.
You can try your hardest to
"succeed" and "do right" all day long in everyone else's
book. But betray your heart,
your self, your vision, and you will suffer.
Consider that this is what we've
learned to do... betray ourselves.
Consider that there is
a path that you have not been walking in your life--a mountain that
you have not been climbing.
It is right behind
you. You've not been facing it, but you know that if you did,
it would make all the difference.
Visionaries Face What Others
Don't
Turn now, in your mind,
and face that mountain...
Maybe it's leaving your
job to pursue your passion. Maybe it's ending a relationship
that you know is a compromise. Maybe it's starting your own
business.
Whatever it is, think
of taking first steps down that new road in your own life...
What is unattractive or
frightening about
walking that path?
Caution: If
you are passively reading this right now, trying to just get some
insights or "learn" the right answers, you'll miss your
call to greatness... totally. Visionaries face what the
rest of us don't. Right now, I challenge you to face your own
demons. Be very honest with where you are right now, and what is
in your way.
So,
look within right now and be very honest. Look at what
you'd have to face if you ventured down that path you've
been afraid to walk and (check all that apply)...
What
Is The 'Inner Mountain of Fear' In Your Way?
You imagine making
mistakes and see people laughing at you. Then
you feel a fear of embarrassment.
You imagine
yourself being rejected. Or you imagine and you feel fear of
rejection.
You imagine
certain people disapproving or misunderstanding you
as you walk your new path, and you feelfear.
You envision total
failure and see how it could ruin your life, and you
feel terrified.
You see
the kind of commitment it will take, and you feel
a fear of being trapped.
You see how much
work and responsibility it is going to require, and
you feel a fear of feeling burdened.
You imagine your
parents, spouse, authorities, experts or others
judging you as wrong or immoral for walking your
path, and you feelfear of guilt.
How Do You
Know When You Are Facing Your Call to Greatness?
You feel 2 things.
1. You Feel Fear. Fear is
natural to feel when you look down a new path, when you consider going beyond
the known and the comfortable. Are you feeling any fear right now in this
moment? Any anxiety? Any excitement?
If not, maybe you're just reading this
letter. Maybe you're not really present with me. Perhaps you are
intellectualizing everything. That's safe. Comfortable.
Easy. That's NOT facing your call to greatness.
2. You Feel Honor. Honor
is a deeply inspiring and moving feeling. For many it is a spiritual
feeling.
Honor is a powerful force that can override
any other feeling, including fear and physical pain. And the more fear or
pain you are facing, the more honor you can feel. The bigger your
"inner mountain," the more honor you get to feel from climbing it.
The
fear comes first. Then the honor. The problem is, most of us turn
away from the fear, and then don't get to feel the honor.
Take This Test, Feel The Honor
So, imagine this...
Imagine being a visionary, being someone who
chooses to face any and all challenges. Would it be painful?
Frightening? You bet. But the rewards are incredible honor and
vision.
Consider heading into the unknown. Do
your best to really see the danger that lies before you, and feel the
fear. THEN look to see yourself walking onward, keeping true to your
vision in the face of it all. And feel the honor.
(Check the boxes, after you've felt the feelings.)
Quick Note to
Those Afraid to Feel: Consider that if you are not
allowing yourself to feel much while reading this, you're not awakening
to what this really means to you and your life. You're not facing
anything. What's the point? You might as well go surf the
internet--here's google.
Otherwise, take this on as if your life depends on it...
HONOR
TEST.
Can You Feel the Honor?
First,
face the fear. Then, feel the honor.
Check the boxes after you've faced the fear and felt
the honor.
Loneliness?
Yes, there will be times when no one but you sees
your vision! Times when no one understands, no one believes.
What will you feel in those times?
Honor!
The day comes when you feel incredible loneliness...
and in your pain you have thoughts of turning
back... But then... in that moment... you
remember... who you are. You remember what you
were standing for, when you chose your path.
And in that moment you rise to your
greatness.
Betrayal? There will be people
who see your vision and believe... who then betray you and turn
against you. What will that feel like? Can you imagine
the pain?
Honor!
In your pain you consider giving up on your
mission. Why keep trusting people? What
is worth the pain? And then you remember...
you remember what is worth standing for... and you
rise up and go on, undaunted.
Self-Doubt? There will be times
when you question your choices, when you doubt whether this new path
you've been on is right. You may become completely lost for a
few minutes, hours or days...
Honor!
And then, you will remember how you KNEW there would
be challenges like this... You KNEW it, and still
you walked your path. For there was something
worth standing for, something worth facing any
amount of doubt, fear or pain... And you rise up and
walk forward.
Guilt? There will be times
when people who saw your vision and trusted you fail. They
trusted you and they got hurt or experienced great
loss. Or times when you fail yourself, you
screw up, you lose it all. How might you feel
at those times?
Honor!
At the first sign of guilt, you will remember you
are a visionary, and that your life is your
own. You've chosen your path
consciously. You saw the risks, and you chose
to walk your path anyway. Suddenly you are
filled with a rush of honor. The guilt is
gone, and you're moving on.
Frustration?
Overwhelm? There will be times
when your vision grows and evolves so fast that there is no way you
can keep up with it. It will not be easy to stay in
integrity. There will be times you are judged unfairly.
Honor!
Your integrity means everything to you, so it
hurts when are behind on your commitments and let
others down. How can people only focus on the
negative? Is it worth going on?
Just then you
remember... that's who you are. You are the
one who is taking a stand to make a difference for
these people, even though they may misjudge
you. You are a visionary. Nothing can
stop you.
Despair? Resignation?
There will be times
when you look to the future and imagine that you might die before
your vision is ever realized. How much despair will you
feel? Will you give up? Will you become resigned and
cynical?
Honor!
Then you laugh as you remember that it's not about
reaching the end. It's about being the one who
faces and climbs the mountain, no matter what.
You are a warrior for your vision. You're the
one who stays true to yourself and your
vision. You feel deep satisfaction, joy and
you turn to face the mountain once
again!
No, the path of a visionary
is not an easy one. Not a comfortable one. Not a
"safe" one. But here's the good news...
Your Vision Will
Call You to Rise Above All Challenges, And Calmly Conquer All that
Stands In Your Way
Imagine awakening to the kind of vision every day that has
you feeling Honor! Imagine being guided by the kind of vision that calls
you to your greatness!
Your vision will call you to
greatness, but first you need to find something worth
standing for!
You see, no vision will call you to rise to
greatness unless it challenges you. This means, to be called to greatness,
you need adversity!
The bigger the mountain you have to climb,
the deeper you'll need to reach inside yourself.
Sixth
Wave: More and more, you
see what is worth standing for, and it will call you to
greatness.
"The
ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in
moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at
times of challenge and controversy." -Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mostly, we live our lives seeking relief,
comfort, security. We often choose friends, jobs and marriages that keep us from
facing our deepest fears and stepping into our greatness.
So, what could possibly be worth taking on
all the pain, pressure, discomfort, fear, loneliness and everything else that
comes with being a visionary???
How about Life Itself? Being fully
alive!
What is it you really want?
Passion?
Purpose? Deep inner peace and
lasting fulfillment? How about confidence and focus? All of this
is yours if you choose to fulfill your destiny as a visionary!
But first...
You must become more and more clear what
is worth standing for.
Go ahead, right now, ask yourself that
question...
WHAT Is Worth
Standing For?
Your life, your one brief life here on
earth?
Your happiness?
Your marriage?
Your freedom?
Finding true romance?
Living your passion? Fulfilling
your destiny?
Your children's lives and future?
Financial
freedom?
How about...
Standing for being the change you seek in
the world?
Or being the one to pull your family together?
What about standing for being deeply
fulfilled--in the face of anything and everything!
What about standing for being an inspiration and example for your
grandchildren?
Only you can say. You'll know what is
worth standing for when you find something that moves you and inspires you
deeply.
This isn't a question you find an answer to,
and then you're done. This is an ongoing question for any visionary.
You wake up in the morning, see all the challenges that the day will bring and
then find something worth standing for.
Seventh
Wave: More and more, you
take bold steps in line with what you stand for, and your Visionary Path emerges
in front of you.
Once you are clear about the
challenges that lie before you, and what would be worth standing for, you just
start taking bold actions in line with that. This is your
"path."
The more you walk down that path,
the more your vision will pull you to higher and higher levels of
greatness.
The
Visionary Myth
Many people assume great visionaries like Gandhi are either born with
their vision, or it is revealed to them magically one day.
This isn't how it happens. Gandhi started
out as a lawyer defending indigent Indians in South Africa. The
more he took a stand for being the one to make a difference, the more he
saw his power. Over time he came to see that if he simply kept
walking his path (standing for the freedom and dignity of all people, no
matter what the price) he could free his people.
His vision emerged the more he walked his
path. And so shall it be with you.
BUT, the problem is, you have
habits and a lifestyle that keeps you from fully facing that challenges what
would reveal your path and call you to greatness!
It is all too comfortable to just
keep going down the same old path in life. You can always face your
greatest fears... "tomorrow."
"The day I was diagnosed with cancer was the day I
started to live."
-Lance Armstrong, 6-Time
Winner of Le Tour De France
"Don't
Wait Until It's Too Late!"
Sometimes we don't ever really
"wake up" and take a stand for our life until its too late.
Often times we must come face to face with death before we wake up to the value
of our brief life. Then it becomes easy to leave the job that is not
fulfilling and travel the world or follow our passion. Do you know anyone
who has done this?
Lance Armstrong never
stepped into his greatness until he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Winston Churchill might
have never become great were it not for the doom imposed by Hitler.
Ayn Rand might have
never become the great voice for freedom and the human spirit, were it not
for the great loss she and her family experienced at the hands of the
communists.
First
Wave: VISION. Allow
yourself to be swept away by vision more and more--your
own vision.
